The present invention relates to a damping mechanism for damping of a translatory motion and, more particularly, to a damping mechanism for damping a translatory motion initiated by a spring in various devices including automatically opening spring-loaded drawers and the like.
To open ash-trays, drawers and containers, particularly in the case of devices built into motor vehicles, damping elements are used to improve operating convenience. The damping elements consist of a housing filled with or holding a viscous fluid, in which there is a friction disk connected by a shaft to an exterior drive element. The drive element is generally a gear wheel which is connected with a toothed rack or a gear wheel segment on the stationary base on which the translatory motion occurs. The damping element is mounted on the body to be moved, on which, for example a spring element acts to urge the body to be moved into motion. The rolling of the gear wheel on the toothed rack causes the friction disk to rotate in the housing filled with a viscous fluid, for example, silicone oil. Because of the indentations and recesses provided on its peripheral surface, the friction disk is braked by the increased friction, so that a translatory movement of the body to be moved, for example, a flap to be opened, is damped. Closure of the flap is generally caused by pushing the body back by hand. Through the direct connection between the drive element and the friction disk the braking action of the damping element is also effective as the flap is pushed back and forth. This is normally considered irksome by the person operating the flap since increased force and more time is required to close the flap than would be required without damping. Furthermore too great a pressure during closing of the flap subjects the friction element to increased stress, which causes increased wear and tear on the damping element.